Word of the Week: Rococo

On the surface, rococo might appear a curious pick for Word of the Week, it’s so ubiquitous (at least in the world of antiques and collectibles). But rococo is multi-dimensional (and multi-national). Did you know, for example, that it is used to describe the English period 1770-1800, encompassing George III (1760-1820) and typified by Thomas Chippendale; the Italian design period 1730-1770, typified by Giuseppe Magglioni and Pieto Piffetti; and the French design period 1730-1770, including Louis XV and typified by Bernard van Risenburgh and Jean-Francois Oeben?

That’s three major periods in three major countries! In all cases, rococo is a style of extravagant form, typified by the use of Indian and Chinese motifs and curving lines. In art, rococo describes works characterized by daintiness, elegant natural forms and lightness. The item pictured here is a rare rococo walnut Victorian turtle-top table with white marble and heads on the front and sides. It’s attributed to the renowned 19th century American furniture maker Alexander Roux and will be sold Jan. 7, 2016 by Stevens Auction Company in Aberdeen, Miss. Visit www.stevensauction.com.

Gavels and Paddles

Ken Hall is a longtime observer of the antiques and collectibles scene. He’s been writing pre-sale and post-sale press releases for auction houses since 2006.
To contact Ken about his writing and distribution services, you may e-mail him at kenhallpr@gmail.com.